Turn to Stone
by clynnranson
Summary: What if Bella had left at the end of "Twilight"? This is a one-shot about what might have been going through her mind during her journey away from Forks, Washington..and away from Edward.


**Turn To Stone.**

This story was inspired by the song "Turn to Stone" by Ingrid Michaelson. If you'd like to listen to it, you can by following the link below:

.com/watch?v=l6HKm5UGY98

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"_Love never dies a natural death. It dies because we don't know how to replenish its source. It dies of blindness and errors and betrayals. It dies of illness and wounds; it dies of weariness, of witherings, of tarnishings. Why love if losing hurts so much? We love to know that we are not alone. The heart has its reasons which reason knows not of. Love, like truth and beauty, is concrete. Love is not fundamentally a sweet feeling; not, at heart, a matter of sentiment, attachment, or being "drawn toward." Love is active, effective, a matter of making reciprocal and mutually beneficial relation with one's friends and enemies."_

Bella jolted a little as the corner of the flight attendant's cart pushed into her elbow, and knocked her arm down to her side. With a small frown, she watched the oblivious blonde haired woman cheerfully give water bottles to the people sitting in front of her. The book she had been skimming through now fell to the floor, and it took her a moment to wonder if it was worth picking up again. Bella could leave the book there on the floor, for someone else to find…to solve someone else's problems, or give someone else a sense of hope that she tried to find in vain. Perhaps on the next flight there will be a girl just like her, that will sit in her seat, and find the little book. That girl will read the lines she read, and have not read, and be once again filled with a bittersweet optimism in love…the kind that Bella herself had lost.

He was the one that told her to go. She now wondered if he hoped she wouldn't have. There was a chance, she pondered, that Edward was hoping she would stay. Maybe he wanted to tell her not to go; to plead with her to stay with him…but she knew he couldn't have done that. She knew that if he had, she wouldn't be on this plane right now. Bella had to smile a little, because she realized she was trying to think logically about the most absurdly illogical circumstances. It wasn't a matter of just staying or going, and it unfortunately wasn't a matter of what they both really wanted. Bella looked towards the small window, and stared at the orange tinted reflection of her face. It was sunset, but instead of admiring the majestic colored sky, she closed her eyes and felt the sun's warmth on her skin.

"_When we feel love and kindness toward others, it not only makes others feel loved and cared for, but it helps us also to develop inner happiness and peace. You know quite well, deep within you, that there is only a single magic, a single power, a single salvation...and that is called loving. Well, then, love your suffering. Do not resist it, do not flee from it. It is your aversion that hurts, nothing else. We dream so we don't have to be apart so long. If we're in each others dreams, we can be together all the time."_

Diamonds and violet colored flower petals…amber eyes and salty tears…chilled breath and butterfly kisses…

"Ladies and gentlemen, this is your Captain speaking-"

…and blood.

Bella opened her eyes again, even if now they were encircled by dark rings. She had to take a moment, before realizing the sky was now completely black…only a few darkly colored blue clouds hovered around the plane. She thought she had only been dreaming for a moment, but as she listened to the gritty voice of the plane's captain, she realized it had been hours. She glanced to her left and saw that most of the passengers were awakening out of an uneasy slumber, like herself. The plane would be landing soon…her mother will be waiting for her in baggage claim.

Bella picked up her small bag and settled it on her lap, grappling at the velvety material. She sighed slightly as she tried to push her merciless daydreams from her mind, and timidly tapped on a small button on her coat sleeve. She should have felt relieved that the flight would be over soon…that in a matter of minutes she will officially been a thousand miles away from him. She should be happy that she will now begin a chance to forget everything she's leaving behind…but how could she. There was still so much more to say…"_Love vanquishes time. To lovers, a moment can be eternity, eternity can be the tick of a clock."_

Bella closed her eyes. Edward was now in front of her. For a moment she was silent, unsure, and frightened. She studied his face in her mind, as if engraving it there. As the flight grew nosier, she blocked it out and spoke with her heart.

"I don't know if I'm making a mistake or not. I'm scared…"

Edward was silent.

"I don't know if I believe in unconditional love…or even know what it is. I don't know if I will be able to wake up one day and _not _think of you…maybe I'm not suppose to…"

Edward was still silent.

"Maybe I have no idea what I'm saying…usually when I'm at a lost of words I ramble. What do you say to someone you just walked away from? I know you told me to go…but I didn't want to. You didn't want me to…but I did. I did because I was afraid. Edward, I would put my life at risk every day if only to spend every day with _you…_but it's not enough. Not for either of us. Not now."

The plane lowered it's altitude, and Bella's ears popped.

"I love you. I won't ever stop loving you."

Edward smiled.

The plane's wheels slammed against the pavement, causing the entire plane to shudder. Bella's head knocked against her seat just slightly.

"I love you too."

Bella opened her eyes. Edward wasn't there anymore; she was back in reality. Her eyebrows pushed together as she sighed heavily. There was still so much more to say. With a slow stand, Bella moved out of her seat and into the aisle. She waited as people gathered their own belongings patiently, and gave her spot one more glance. She saw the book on the floor.

She picked it up and put it into her bag.

"_Let's take a deeper look…beyond a story book; learn that we are all we own…before we turn to stone."_

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This is the first fanfic I've wrote in a LONG time, so I appreciate any mercy that is shown with reviews. I have no idea if I'll continue this or not, but I still do appreciate you reading! 3


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